Running by feel: running for fun!

I start week 16 of my marathon training plan - injured! So no running for me this week! 

However,I am pleased to report that when I got up this morning my thigh and ankle were 100 per cent better than yesterday!

I have had enough of this constant fear of failure, injury and disappointment. 

When I started on this running journey just over 2 years ago I ran for the sheer pleasure running brought me and I didn't really worry about my pace or time. As long as I was out there running I was happy. I always came back on a high and truly looked forward to my next session. 

Fast forward two years and I now feel every run I do isn't long enough, fast enough, hilly enough, my heart rate is too low or too high and nothing feels good anymore. I dread having to hit the streets as I know I will let myself down ... again! 

I blame all the pain and pressure on my Garmin. 

I obsessively look at my pace and I am constantly readjusting how I run to keep my stats consistent. I am often running too slow and force myself to speed up or I panic if I am running faster than usual and therefore slow down.  I get home and instead of relaxing in the after glow of a good run I pour over my stats and analyse it to within an inch of its life!! Then I compare it to other people's runs and end up feeling totally despondent and useless!

So I have decided ... I can't keep getting injured by not listening to my body! 

I realise I have hit a plateau in my training the same way as an obese person hits a plateau with weight loss.  The first few stone fall off easily and then the hard work begins! 

Well, similarly my pace initially increased quickly but now I am having to work at it! I might even have to accept that I am as good as I am ever going to be as a middle aged late-to-it runner!

However, after researching training methods on the Internet, I have decided that once I have fully recovered I am going to start running by feel - running naked - running for fun without a Garmin!

In the meantime, to help pass my time convalescing I have ordered the book  Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel by Matt Fitzgerald  with the hope I might get some good tips!

So the next week is going to consist of reading and swimming and not much else BUT I'm hoping to rekindle my love for running and stop worrying about PB's.

I might just surprise myself!